You start to skid on a slippery road surface. What does the manual say to do first?
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A.
Firmly apply the brakes to stop as quickly as possible.
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B.
Downshift to the lowest gear immediately.
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C.
Slowly remove your foot from the accelerator. Correct
The answer is "Slowly remove your foot from the accelerator."
On a slippery surface, the manual's first step is to slowly lift off the accelerator; the braking option is what drivers reach for as an instinct, but the same section lists 'do not use the brakes' as the next step.
The traps in the wrong answers
A. Firmly apply the brakes to stop as quickly as possible.
The manual's first step for a slippery-surface skid is to lift off the accelerator, not to brake. This answer falls back on the everyday reflex of braking whenever a car feels out of control.
B. Downshift to the lowest gear immediately.
Downshifting is not listed as a step for recovering from a slippery-surface skid. This answer borrows the manual's advice for descending a steep hill and misapplies it to a skid in progress.
This question tests your knowledge of Adverse Conditions in California. Source: California Driver Manual, "Slippery Surface Skids," p.60..
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